DAILY CANNABIS

MA Cannabis Commission Marks 5^th Anniversary

The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission celebrated its fifth anniversary, marking five years since the appointment of the inaugural Commission on September 1, 2017. In that time, the regulatory body built a new independent Commission and legal industry from the ground up; the agency now has nearly 90 employees and a new slate of Commissioners, including the September 1 appointment of Chair Shannon O’Brien, with 434 adult-use and 98 medical-use licensees operating across the Commonwealth and over 30,000 registered agents working in the regulated industry.

“I am incredibly proud of our Commissioners and staff, past and present, whose contributions over the last five years have created the agency you see today. We accomplished building a brand-new agency while at the same time regulating a marketplace that is not new to Massachusetts but is safer and more effective thanks to our collective efforts,” said Executive Director Shawn Collins. “We have made great strides towards our equity mission as an agency and industry, but we all acknowledge there is more to do. We are not intimidated by the challenging and important work that remains, and I look forward to seeing the progress we achieve in the next five years.”

On November 8, 2016, Ballot Question 4 “Legalize Marijuana” passed with 53.6% of the vote in the Commonwealth. At that time, Massachusetts joined seven other states, plus the District of Columbia, that had legalized marijuana for adult use (also known as recreational use). That number has since increased to 18 states as well as some territories. The resulting law in Massachusetts, Chapter 334 of the Acts of 2016, The Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act, which was amended by Chapter 55 of the Acts of 2017, An Act to Ensure Safe Access to Marijuana, created the Commission and delegated oversight of the adult-use cannabis program to the regulatory body.

On August 11, 2022, Governor Charlie Baker signed into law Chapter 180 of the Acts of 2022, An Act Relative to Equity in the Cannabis Industry, a major reform bill enhancing provisions within the initial statute, after several years of advocacy by Commission members past and present. In August 2021, Commissioners voted to implement a process for Legislative and Executive Branch outreach and then voted unanimously to support a state-administered fund comprised of public and private resources offering zero- or low-interest loans or grants to equity applicants and licensees. Commissioners also supported a technical change allowing social consumption as well as greater authority to regulate host community agreements.

Since Massachusetts’ first two Marijuana Retailers opened in 2018, 235 more have received notices from the Commission to commence operations statewide and are in the process of opening. Another 166 Marijuana Retailers with provisional or final license approval are completing the Commission’s inspection and compliance procedures towards that end. In total, the Commission has licensed 1,155 Marijuana Establishments, including Cultivators, Product Manufacturers, Retailers, Independent Testing Laboratories, Microbusinesses, Marijuana Couriers, and more.

In addition to regulating the adult-use cannabis industry, the Commission has overseen the Medical Use of Marijuana Program (Program) since it was transferred from the Department of Public Health in December of 2018 as required under Chapter 55 of the Acts of 2017. The Program has grown from approximately 58,000 patients to almost 100,000 patients, as the agency has implemented several enhancements since assuming Program oversight.